I'm old enough to remember when Route 1 between Thomaston village and Rockland was attractive. After Dragon Cement's looming plant, there were trees and fields, Dorman's ice cream, and a small airport opposite it, plus a snack bar that later became the site of Dave's Diner.

But today New County Road, as almost nobody calls it, is a wasteland of big box stores, traffic lights and traffic jams. It is strip development with no apparent zoning.

Thomaston village, including Route 1 Main Street, embodies charm and character, even without the stately elms some of us remember. But Thomaston's leaders have, over the years, turned New County Road into a Nowhere, a desolate commercial strip.

There is the "super" Walmart that Damariscotta rejected, a company infamous for mistreating employees and putting local stores out of business.

You've got Applebee's, which is hardly a "neighborhood bar" as the sign proclaims. More chain stores are slowing traffic, including Starbucks, also noted for its unfairness to employees.

Who needs Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts when we have employee-owned Rock City Cafe, Hole in the Wall Bagel, Owl's Nest Cafe, Atlantic Baking, all in Rockland; and Flipside coffee and Laurel's Dolce Vita in Thomaston village.

Buy local, and help preserve what's special about our communities.

The strip: quaint it ain't.

Steve Cartwright lives in Tenants Harbor